Playing with Anger
This is the first learning experience in the unit: Playing with Anger. This learning experience uses the picture book, Anger is like Armour, to help children explore anger. Children learn about the function anger can serve, how anger might feel in their bodies and healthy ways to express anger. This unit of work was created…
Read MoreRegulating Robot
A drama about social rules, morals and creativity This drama gives students the opportunity to explore the necessity for social regulation, the risks and consequences of both making and breaking rules, and the relationship between rules and regulations on the one hand, and creativity and freedom on the other. It also explores how the impact…
Read MoreTeaspoon of Light
This unit of work centres on the story of a little girl who finds that her cloth of dreams has been torn. Using drama, dance and visual arts approaches the children help the little girl restore her cloth of dreams and her hopes for a better world. The video link shows examples of the work…
Read MoreThe Emperor and the Magic Goose
A drama about loneliness and togetherness This drama takes as its starting point the traditional Red Lantern Festival, held in Auckland since 2000, and cancelled in 2020 because of Coronavirus, both in Auckland and throughout China. The drama uses a traditional Chinese folk tale of the Festival’s origins, to explore: 1. Loneliness, what it makes…
Read MoreThe Giant Who Threw Tantrums
A drama about facing our fears From within the protection of a fantasy about a make-believe village threatened by a tantrum throwing giant, this drama gives young children the chance to consider how people respond when they are afraid. In particular, it explores what happens to a group of people living in a small village…
Read MoreThe Green Children
A drama about community fear of the unknown This drama is designed to stimulate critical thinking about culture, multi-culturalism, assimilation, religion, and racism, but it is also useful for considering how communities respond in a crisis or when something strange and unusual happens to disrupt day to day life. It uses an old tale about…
Read MoreVisiting the Star Family
This learning experience takes the children on an imaginary trip to Space where they meet with a Star Family, exploring the topic of caring for families, having dreams and wishes, and navigating change. Check out the professional development video (link below) for an example of how the learning experience was facilitated. This unit of work…
Read MoreRe-Membering The Branch
This learning experience explores themes of losing something precious to you. It uses the teacher in role convention where the teacher pretends to be a tree who has lost its branch. This learning experience also engages visual arts through crayon rubbings of the branch and leaves. Check out the professional development video (link below) for…
Read MoreFinding Something You Lost
This activity explores what it feels like to lose something precious to you. In this activity, the facilitator acts as the rainbow caretaker who has lost the rainbow. The children then help the caretaker to find fabric pieces of the rainbow and stitch it back together. This unit of work was created by Peter O’Connor.…
Read MoreWhat Is Hope?
This learning sequence is designed to help children (and teachers) gain greater insight into the notion of hope. The sequence begins with the educator sharing a picture book or short animated film. The educator then employs the teacher in role convention and acts as one of the characters from the book/film. The sequence concludes with…
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